The Goddess Granted Me the [Hatching] Skill and Somehow I Became the Strongest Tamer, Commanding Mythical and Divine Beasts - 9

About a month had passed since our family meeting.

During that time, Celia and I prepared to go to the capital.

Celia packed for living at the school in the capital, handed over her part-time job, and studied.

I visited the Adventurers Guild and informed the receptionist there that I was going to the capital to obtain the qualification of “National Adventurer.”

At first, she was surprised, but eventually she cheered me on and enthusiastically explained the system of national adventurers.

Until the day of departure, I spent my days gathering herbs in the forest and having my father watch my swordsmanship when I returned home, keeping myself busy.

And so, time flew by in the blink of an eye, and the day of departure finally arrived…

“Listen, Klaus. While in the capital, you’ll be Celia’s guardian. Take good care of her.”

“Yeah, I got it, Dad.”

With a serious look, my father said that to me.

Up until today, he had been training me not just to support me becoming an adventurer, but also to protect my sister once we reached the capital.

Meanwhile, Celia was talking with our mother in another place. Was she telling her to study hard at school?

If that’s the case, there’s no need to worry about Celia. She’s always been reliable, so there shouldn’t be any problems.

“The carriage is about to depart.”

The scheduled carriage that would take us to the capital was leaving.

To ensure nothing untoward happened, there were many guards, and accordingly, the fare was high.

Our parents stretched themselves a bit to cover the carriage fare for both of us.

“Well then, big brother. Let’s go.”

Saying so, Celia took my hand and headed towards the carriage.

As she’s done since we were little, she holds my hand like this when she’s nervous or needs courage.

Even though she can now put up a brave front, I still think of her as my adorable little sister.

And so, we embarked on a two-week journey to the capital.

I let myself sway with the carriage’s movement and looked out the window.

Next to me, Celia seemed to be reading a complicated magic book, so I hesitated to interrupt her.

This regular carriage travels between the capital and various towns, driven by experienced coachmen and guarded by veterans, so we could ride it with peace of mind.

I put my hand into my shoulder bag and checked inside.

Something touched my fingers and nuzzled against me like it was seeking affection.

Currently nestled in my hand was Purple.

Since we’ll be staying in the capital for a year, I couldn’t just leave Purple behind.

It’s helped me gather herbs so far, and I’ve grown quite attached to it. Ideally, I’d like to let it roam freely, but Celia is afraid of bugs, so for now, it’s patiently staying inside my bag.

Purple isn’t the type to move around much; it eats herbs and curls up to sleep.

As I idled away the time petting Purple…

“Did something happen up front?”

“Yes?”

The carriage slowed down, and it seemed to be getting noisy.

Celia raised her head and looked at me.

“Can I go check it out for a bit?”

I touched the sword at my waist, which I had prepared myself for this journey.

“Well, okay… But please be careful.”

Looking anxious, Celia reluctantly let me go.

We had agreed before getting on the carriage that if there was any combat or such, I would participate to gain experience.

“No matter what happens, Celia, stay inside and don’t come out.”

After advising her, I left the carriage and ran towards the front.

“Is it a monster?”

“Yeah, you…”

Rushing to the front row, there stood several giant humanoid monsters, trolls, blocking the road.

“Are you really going to join in?”

I had already discussed this with the guards beforehand. I wanted to gain combat experience during this journey as I aimed to become a “National Adventurer.”

“Of course, I’ll follow your instructions, so please.”

All of this was my father’s idea. By joining the veterans, I could reduce risks and gain experience. That was another reason for using this scheduled carriage.

“Understood, but don’t do anything reckless.”

Already, the guards were engaging the trolls in combat, working together to keep them away from the carriage.

“Alright, Klaus. Come with me. I’ll stand on the left side of the troll. You stand on the right and draw its attention. Focus on its right hand and avoid its club.”

“Got it!”

The guard and I spread out to the sides.

For a moment, the troll seemed unsure which of us to target, but…

“It’s this way! Come at me!”

The guard provoked it, redirecting its attention.

I carefully watched the troll’s movements.

The pressure I felt now was incomparable to the goblins I had defeated before.

If I rashly dove in and took a hit from its club, I didn’t know what would happen.

That’s why the guard directed me to the side opposite the troll’s dominant hand.

There was a clear reason behind their instructions.

“Now!”

With a swing of my sword, I inflicted a shallow wound and drew its attention towards me.

Taking advantage of our numerical superiority, we bought time without pursuing too deeply.

In this situation, all I could do was…

“Now’s my chance!”

The troll’s attention completely turned away from me. I approached from behind and slashed its Achilles tendon.

“Groooaaar!?”

Suddenly unable to support itself on its leg, it collapsed.

“Well done! You’ve got some skill!”

The guard who had facilitated my strike praised me while continuing to fight.

I could feel the improvement in my swordsmanship, perhaps thanks to my father’s training.

Without hesitation, the guard slashed at the troll’s right arm, causing it to drop its club.

During this distraction, others defeated the remaining trolls, and people gathered around the fallen trolls.

“Is there any more action needed?”

My hand holding the sword trembled. Despite our overwhelming victory, the tension from facing such a strong monster lingered.

“How much training would it take to defeat one of those on my own?”

I concentrated on observing and learning something from the movements of those fighting in front of me.